


Younger

by Luna099



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Leo Valdez Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:13:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28166061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luna099/pseuds/Luna099
Summary: The Goddess Hebe feels the seven need to know more about Leo's past.About who he was as a child.This will go well.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Jason Grace/Piper McLean
Comments: 12
Kudos: 28





	1. Leo Valdez does not like being 13

**Jason P.O.V**

A scream ran through the Argo II. I knew it to well to be Leo's but it sounded... different.

I ran into the hull where a younger Leo stood. "Where am I?"

"Leo, what do you mean? What happened? You look Fourteen!" Said Hazel.

"I am Fourteen, and how do you know my name!" Cried Leo.

"Leo it's me Jason!" I said holding a hand out.

"Are part of some other gang? Why am I on ship?" He seemed calm for what he was saying but it was very off.

"Leo, whats the last thing you remember?" Asked Piper.

"Why should I tell you?" Asked the younger Leo.

"Leo, it's Piper, we went to the Wilderness school together," Said Piper.

Leo looked at the rest of the seven, "So I just forgot everything."

"Yes!" I said.

"Okay if you are my friends... what's my birthday?" Leo asked.

I didn't know.

"So your sure your my friends?" Leo laughed. 

"Leo we **are** friends," I said.

"Okay then how about an easier one whats my full name?" Leo asked.

I was quiet again.

"You see, if this is the future you guys are really crappy friends." Leo said.

"Okay so why did you kidnap me? Money? Gang rivalry?" Leo asked.

"Leo we didn't kidnap you! You made this ship for Gods sake!" Hazel said.

"Made this? Really? I live in an Alleyway and you feel I believe I am rich enough to make this?" Leo laughed, "Surely you don't really want me to believe this."

"You live in an Alleyway?" Piper said shocked.

"Why would you care?" Leo snapped.

"Oh my gods!" Annabeth groaned.

"Gods? Are part of a cult?" Leo asked.

"Pretty much," Percy said under his breath so Leo couldn't hear.

"How do we prove we know you?" I said.

"Tell me something about myself nobody knows," Leo crossed his arms.

"You have fire powers," Annabeth said immediately. 

Leo's expression dropped and his eyes suddenly came of sadness. Then anger. "How do know that?" Leo asked.

"Leo where-," Annabeth tried.

"No don't give me any of this friends bullshit! I promised I would never tell anyone about that! All I ever do is hurt people. I am smart enough not have friends anymore. If I really thought you guys meant something to me I would have been gone before you called me your friend. So how do you know that?" Leo said.

"Leo, it's me Annabeth, you went Camp with me," She said.

"I have been to any camp!" He said.

"Okay enough this is getting out of hand," Said a women.

"Lady Hebe," Annabeth said looking at the goddess.

"Let me explain. Leonardo Valdez, you are a demigod son of Hephaestus. These are your friends and you were born Sixteen years ago today. This is not important. Your friends here don't know you well enough and so I have brought you to the future," She said.

"Sure makes sense with my life. Let me guess Hephaestus the god of Fire. How amazing," He said sarcastically. 

"Good, now tell your friends about yourself and you may go on with your life," The goddess disappeared. 

"Now who wants to hear me talk about my wonderful," Leo smiled.

"He is acting nothing like Leo," Piper whispered to me.

"Want do want me to start with? How I murdered my mom or you know how I went mentally insane?" Leo asked.

"Your mom died in a workshop accident," I said scrunching my nose.

"Your mom died?" Frank asked.

"Wow. This will be fun. Why did future me leave me up to this." Leo said. "My mom did die in a workshop accident. Me being accident. My mother burned alive." Leo smiled sarcastically.

"Leo, I understand I killed my mother and myself in the process," Hazel said.

"You should have stayed died, I know I would preferred that. Because guess what an eight an eight in the foster system does not work out. Especially when you know your own aunt kicks you to the curb with a whole load of bruises. Never staying in one place twenty foster homes and I ran away five times," He smiled curtly.

"Five, you ran away six," Piper said. 

"I guess I have at least one more home to get out of before I go to your Wilderness school. Now do you have any food I haven't eaten in a week."

We sat around the dinning table. "Question, am I still single?"

"Um... no, uh your flirt with every girl you meet though," I said.

"I sound like a loser," Leo said.

"You don't do that?" Percy asked.

"Not really... I make jokes... I smile," He flashed his famous Leo smile then dropped it, "No flirting. I don't date unless I am really 'in love',."

The thing that freaked me out the most was that smile it was the very same Leo Valdez smiling. The same perfect smile.

"So..." Said Frank obviously uncomfortable, "Do you have any weird hobbies."

"I runaway from people who care about me and murder caring parents and you ask about my hobbies," Leo said.

Frank looked down at his plate playing with his food.

"Could I see the engine room?" Leo asked.

"Sure," I said sitting up from my chair.

We lead him to the engine room of the Argo II.

"Holy shit," Leo smiled. He ran into the room. His eyes glowed like they normally would.

"You should have brought me here at the start!"

He started working with wires and gears. Moving things around. "Oh yeah I could get used to this!"

I smiled watching Leo.

Piper from beside me said, "Now that's the Leo I know."

Suddenly by the workbench he froze. "I still do it."

"Do what?" Percy asked. The six of us walked next to him. He was staring at a razor blade. I would have thought nothing of it if there weren't just a slight line of blood on it.

Hazel gasped and closed her eyes.

"You..." Piper paused, "Oh Leo."

"Hey it's okay Piper. May just be an accident. I don't really do it anyway. It's fine!" He smiled. I noticed the pattern. But his smile wasn't so really as it normally was. Which meant either he would really smile all the time or he just got better of acting.

Piper hugged the smaller boy and he stood their in shock. "I haven't been hugged since I was ten." He smiled softly. "Thank you."

Leo then disappeared and a high pitched scream came from the dining room. 

We all ran to see what it was. An even smaller Leo stood in the kitchen he was wearing a birthday hat, "Ah!"


	2. Leo loves the vents. Frank does not.

**Percy P.O.V**

"Leo?" Piper asked.

"Who are you?" Asked Leo who looked around the age of 9.

"We are... friends," I said.

"I'm not sure about that anymore," grumbled Frank.

"Friends? Really... The last time someone told me that I was... Where am I?" He asked.

"You're on a magic ship, do you want to see it?" Piper asked.

"Magic ship? Lady, I know I just turned 9 but I think I know what kidnapping is," He crossed his arms.

"Leo, it's the truth, we know you like engines, you want to see this one?" Asked Annabeth who was still holding my hand.

Leo's eyes widen, "Maybe I'll just take a... look."

Piper held onto the little Leo's hand leading him to the engine room.

"I wonder what happened to him to act the way he did when he was thirteen. He was kind of like..." Annabeth paused.

"Nico," I realized. 

"Your right. But Nico went through so much and Leo's just... Leo. Maybe he didn't have friends then, his humor came when he was older because he was happier." Annabeth said. 

"Your right. Your always right, okay Wisegirl." I said holding her hand.

She nodded and smiled at me.

"Percy, Annabeth! He's gone!" Said Hazel.

"Gone? Where?" I asked.

"He went into the vent, he just climbed through," Said Piper.

"You didn't watch him? He's a runaway for gods sake!" Annabeth sighed. "Frank, you need to change into an animal and go in there."

"Me? Why me?" Asked Frank.

"Because you can change into something and get him out," I said.

"Okay, I'll do it," He groanded.

Frank turned to the engine room and we followed.

"Just going to go into a tiny vent with a fire user," Frank straightened up before turning into a squirrel and climbing up.

Soon their were loud pounds in the ceiling.

"How did you do that!" A muffled Leo yelled.

A line of flame erupted out of the vent.

"Frank!" Yelled Hazel.

Then Frank in monkey form fell to the ground then he changed back to normal.

"What happened?" I asked helping Frank up.

"I changed into a monkey so I could grab him. He saw me change and freaked out. Then he caught on fire but he missed me completely." He said.

"Well that didn't work," Piper said.

"You could Charm Speak him," Annabeth said.

"No way! He's my friend!" Piper said.

"Yeah fifteen year old Leo, this is nine year old Leo," Annabeth said.

"No, it out of the picture," Piper said.

"Okay then, we need to just talk to him. I mean it's Leo. The kid is just going to throw a prank." Jason said.

"Okay, how about I talk to him? I know kids pretty well," I said.

The seven nodded and we made a plan.

"Leo?" I said into the vent.

"Go away," Said the younger Leo.

"Okay, Leo I get your confused but we want to help you," Percy said.

"Of course you do! Of course you want fix me like everyone else. Guess what! I'm pretty sure if you could even help me, you wouldn't try. You'd just kick me out like the rest!" Leo yelled.

"Leo, we would never!" I said.

"I don't get to get better," Leo took a breath. "I get to live and die. I will always help people but they will never be able to help me. You know why Percy Jackson. Because I hurt everyone that cares about me. Nobody in this world loves me and the only reason I even had the excuse for a birthday party is because they feel bad that I killed my mom. So, Man, I don't think a sixteen year old is going to be able to help a freak like me out."

"Leo, we care," I said.

"I don't even know you!" He called.

"We know you," Piper said.

"Sure," He said.

"Your favorite color is red. You love building and fixing things. You always liked living on the edge and being free." Piper said.

Leo crawled over so we could see his face.

"Your my friend, Leo Valdez Repair boy," Piper said.

Annabeth grabbed onto my hand and smiled at me.

The little Leo suddenly started sobbing.

"Leo whats wrong," Hazel said.

"That what my mom called me when I fixed her machines. She called me Repair boy," Leo smiled tear running down my face.

But it wasn't a classic Leo Valdez smile it looked more like a happy smile than a mischievous smile.

He then vanished.

"Is it over?" Frank asked.

"Maybe..." Annabeth said before a crash came from the dining room, "But I don't think so."

We all ran in as fast as we could.

There was Leo but instead of looking like Leo Leo he had dried blood on his face and he was holding ribs like they hurt.

"Don't hurt me!"


	3. Something is wrong with Leo Valdez

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Trigger Warning Mention of Abuse and Trauma. And a suicide Attempt]

**Piper P.O.V**

"Leo what happened?" I cried.

"You know me?" Leo said.

"It's a different Leo, he just looks about the same age," Jason whispered.

"Leo are you okay? What happened to you," Annabeth asked.

"How do you know me? Did I do something?" He backed away.

"Leo, we want to help," Percy said.

"Are with the Police?" He asked.

"No, we really just want to help," Hazel said.

Leo let go of his shirt blood started to stain it. His hand was also covered.

"It hurts," He cried.

We rushed over. Jason and Percy held him up as we brought him to the Med Bay.

About when we had just laid him on the table he passed out.

"Gods," Hazel cried.

"We need to take off his shirt," Annabeth said.

We regretted it immediately.

Cuts covered his chest. The word, 'FREAK' cut into his chest. His left ribs were completely purple and blood was leaking out of the right one. pieces of glass lodged in his skin.

He was completely covered in scars.

"Okay, um get the Ambrosia,"Annabeth said obviously terrified. 

I ran over to get it wiping the tears from my eyes.

When we finally finished I couldn't help stare at Leo. It was him but he maybe looked a little younger. Just before I had met him.

"Oh Gods," I realized what happened. The shock made me drop the dirty towel I was holding.

"What? What's wrong?" Jason asked.

"Before Leo went to the Wilderness School Leo's foster mom was arrested." I said.

"And?" Frank asked.

"For abuse and torture," I looked at Jason. 

"No. Leo wouldn't keep a secret like that. Leo, he just happened to- He he. Leo wouldn't just lie. It's just a trick from Hebe. Leo is fine, not-not," He rain his fingers through his hair before walking out.

"Jason!" I yelled after him.

Leo suddenly groaned.

We went to his side as he was waking up.

"Y-you helped me?" Leo said.

"Of course," Annabeth said.

"I'm sorry I thought that you guys were... were," He sighed.

"Leo, it's okay," I said putting a hand on his shoulder. He flinched.

"Sorry," He said.

"What happened, it's best if you tell us," Annabeth said.

"There is nothing to tell, I got in an accident," Leo said.

"You had glass lodged into your skin!" Frank said.

"Like I said an accident," Leo said.

"What about the engraving?" I asked.

"I'm too young to get a Tattoo so I made a bad choice," Leo said.

"Stop Lying!" Percy said.

Leo bit his lip.

I took a breath and spoke in Charm Speak, "Leo Valdez tell me what really happened."

"She," He tried his best to fight off the charm Speak, "H-Hu- No. Gosh how did you do that."

He had fought off my Charm Speak I was shocked.

"Leo what happened?" I tried again.

He glared at me, "Stop trying to get something out of me. I already told you."

"Leo Valdez you want to tell me what happened," I said.

"God how did you do that? Is it magic," Leo said.

"How is he resisting? He doesn't even know about charm speak!" I yelled.

"I get it. You think something happened, you want to be a hero. But there is nothing there. I'm all good, it doesn't even hurt anymore," He said.

"Leo stop lying!" I said.

"I'm not," He said.

"I know what happened to you, but you need to tell them Leo," I said.

"I did." He said.

"Okay then if it was just an accident you must know the date," I said.

"Why would I know the date?" Leo asked.

"Because Leo, today is your birthday," I said.

"It is," He said.

"Leo today you turn fifteen," I said.

He sat there before getting up and out of the cot.

He walk out of the room.

We all ran after him.

When we found him he was standing at the edge of the deck.

"Leo, what are you doing," Percy asked.

"Seven years ago today," Leo said.

"What?" Hazel asked.

"Seven years ago today my Aunt kicked me out literally. You want to know where the 'FREAK' scar came from. It was her. Then my foster mother she hit me with a glass bottle today before kicking me almost to death." He said.

We were silent.

Leo jumped up on the rail.

"Leo!" We screamed.

"Maybe today I could just slip off the edge," He said moving his foot forward.

"Leo, don't do this, just stay," I said.

Suddenly he was falling.

All I could hear was screams I'm not sure who was who's.

Suddenly he stopped falling and he started moving up.

Jason was beside me.

When Leo got back on deck his eyes were wide.

"You saved me?" He vanished.

And we all sat there. Silent.

"Hey guys, I was fixing the gears at the bottom of the ship, what are you all doing staring at the ocean," Leo said.

"Leo?" I said.

"Well I prefer Captain Mc-," He was stopped I hugged him.

"What's wrong Pipes?" He asked.

"You have a lot to explain," I said.

"Did I blow something up?" He asked.


End file.
